I think I may have shared this story before, but when I was hiking the Appalachian Trail during the summer before law school I came across a butt naked hiker (in his 20s) leading a group of boys in the other direction on the trail. One other adult male was also leading the group, but as I recall that guy was clothed, as were (thank God) all the boys. We exchanged "pleasantries" (though I found the encounter none too pleasant), and I think some reference was made to the fact that he was naked, and one of the boys commented that he was crazy or something like that. All in all, a very odd encounter. The naked guy sounded American and not German, btw.

I'm kind of torn. The problem I have with the concept of nudism is that I just don't find the average human form of either gender all that attractive. For every naked body I might enjoy seeing or at least be neutral about, there are plenty I'd really rather do without. Spare me a lecture on body acceptance; I accept my imperfect body just fine, thanks, it's yours I don't want to be forced to accept :)

On the other hand, maybe nude hikers are as a class more fit than your average nudist. The balance might shift.

I have the same problem with sushi, really. I like some types of sushi, but the percentage just isn't high enough to make me want to seek it out. I know there's a joke there somewhere.

Now, in the U.S., we might not have nude hikers, and our nudist colonies tend to be private, but we do have a certain phenomenon where people (particularly women) who would not typically be considered attractive can shed any sense of modesty and flaunt their bodies with feature-exaggerating attire.

I was in Puerto Vallarta a few years ago and there was a European woman topless sunbathing on the beach. Someone from the resort told her it wasn't allowed and she threw a screaming fit. For the life of me I couldn't see why in the world THAT lady would have wanted to topless sunbath in the first place. Poor delusional lady... My wife said it best: "Come on. Nobody wants to see THAT."

"Suddenly, the Swiss are inundated with nudist hikers, many from Germany."

Um, mosquitos? Chiggers? Yellow Jackets and biting flies? Hello-o??

And temperatures in some places? Look, I'm fully aware some places you can go without clothing and be perfectly comfortable temperature-wise (if not modesty-wise), but many places farther north - like, say SWITZERLAND!!! - might be just a taaaaaad nippy at times, don't'cha think? Especially at elevation, like up IN THE MOUNTAINS??!! Homo sapiens developed clothes for a reason, you know. Why go back on the human invention that allowed such exceptional advancement?

For the record, a research team - from Germany, ironically - determined that humans started wearing clothes around 72,000 years ago. And look, they had to have had a reason. I'm telling you, this is contrary to evolution, pure and simple. Evolution and human development.

Oh, and asthetic sense. My GOD! No clothes with black socks! That is a pure assault on the eyes, especially when contrasted against such... whiiiiite (*shudders*)... bodies. Yeeeeech...

Actually, wait... Switzerland is not that far north after all, just above Italy and roughly the same latitude as south-central France. So it's not like it's a Nordic country... but still... up in the mountains?? How warm can that be?

Tibore: I don't know where you're from, but the Alps, in summer, can be awfully hot, particularly if you're exercising. Then there's the sun factor. In my case, that means more clothing, but that's not the case for all.

I think the beaches in Goa have it about right. Those directly in front of the hotels have the full-dressed bathers--women in saris; men in long shorts and shirts. As you move farther from the hotels, the attire becomes more attenuated. By the time you're a mile down the beach, the bathing suits are on the towels, ready to be donned when it's time to go back to the hotel.

Again, the strength of the sun militates against my exposing much of my fair Celtic skin. I got serious second-degree burns in 10 minutes on the beach there.

I do agree that those wearing Spandex [TM] should be required to obtain a license to do so.

Good article in Stern (auf Deutsch, natuerlich) on the rebirth of the FKK. Can 800,000 Germans be wrong?

Apparently nude hiking in the Swiss Alps is nothing new -- it was popular in the first flush of German nudism in the early 20th Century. http://www.stern.de/lifestyle/mode/:FKK-Lifestyle-Die-Nackten/638106.html

Apparently one source of inspiration for the FKK movement was British Lord Monboddo, a Scottish judge, who went nude around his house and garden, taking showers on his front porch.

As far as nudism in America, the article cites naked yoga practitioner Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as the World Naked Bike Ride (Chicago ride coming up again this June; Madison ride needs an organizer.)

http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/

Here's a list of nude beach dos and don'ts from the Bay Area Naturists:

Colin Fletcher used to advocate nude hiking in his famous guidebooks (famous to hikers, anyway) The Complete Walker.

It's an opportunity for a new roadside game, too. When you see these German hikers you can play helmet/anteater while inspecting the men, and carpet/linoleum while inspecting the ladies. Winner buys dinner.

The next thing you know the Germans will be attending Broadway musicals in the nude, maybe the new revival of Hair. But this is a really good human interest story. This year may be the young germans last chance to completely enjoy Alpine warmth before the coming Global Freeze sends in the glaciers again.

Think was i was wearing a bathing suit and this older German man, with a big beer belly, stood about 10 meters from me testing the sea water, and he just stared at me. It was so freak. Put then Germans don't Zeige with the finger, they just stare tremendously.

They are still a nice bunch of people anyway. They have more nerve than me, I wouldn't take off my top on the beach even though i could and even wanted to get my boobs tan.

When I was at the Grand Canyon, there were ample supplies of German and Japanese tourists doing dumb things in defiance of gravity. It doesn't surprise me that some of the same would do dumb things in defiance of Alpine solar radiation, mosquitoes, or whatever.

Most of the people who are nudists are not the people you would want to see sans clothing. It's usually a sausage-fest, like the nude beach scene in Eurotrip. Usually people who are old or flabby, with leathery football-like skin from years in the sun. Very few of the hot frauleins that you'd want to see.

Although I do remember one visit to the beach at the Wannsee in Berlin, and a lovely madchen wearing nothing but a smile...

In the fourth grade, we went on a class trip to the Big Island that included a lot of hiking. On one trip out, we came across a native Hawaiian woman who had taken to the hills and reverted to living old school style. Traditionally, Native Hawaiians wore no tops. You can imagine the nervous titillation of a group of 9 year olds from the suburbs.

As far as nudism in America, the article cites naked yoga practitioner Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as the World Naked Bike Ride (Chicago ride coming up again this June; Madison ride needs an organizer.)

I've encountered this ride in Burlington, Vermont on two occasion; it tends to happen in tandem--bike pun not intended--with the summer jazz festival up there.

My general impression? Too many dudes. Still, it was funny when we were stopped at a traffic light and the ride came right in front of us. And this past year, near the starting point, I couldn't believe how many people were taking pictures.